Essay Example on Why Organizations Hire Hackers: Exploring Reasons & Strategies

Today, there are many cyber-attacks that are carried out by hackers. It is unclear why these hackers actually do this and why many organizations would like to hire hackers. The main aim of this paper is to learn more about why hackers are wanted so much. Some of the reasons the paper will discuss in detail include; the necessity to hire hackers who will check for loopholes in the system, to develop techniques and strategies to shield the organization against cyber-attacks, and the requirement to protect the credibility of an organization.

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Organizations must operate knowing that the processes are secure, and there are no detrimental gaps in their systems. This explains why white cap hackers (legit and licensed hackers) are wanted so much. Pangaria and Shrivastara (2013) explain that the need to identify the availability of loopholes or defects in the system that hackers might use to access the system is significant to organizations. Agarwal and Kumar (2018:2254) also agree that ethical hacking is necessary as organizations need to assess if there are any susceptibilities or vulnerabilities in the system that black hat hackers might use to gain unwarranted access. Some of the frequent targets of black hat hackers are encryptions and password cracking, creating a denial of service ( DoS) for demands, fixing a network analyzer on the system, and installing malware that negatively affects the operation and networks. There are several tools that hackers use on systems such as NMAP, METASPLOIT, NESSUS, WIRESHARK, Cain, and Abel, among others. To cushion the system against these dangers, some of the protection techniques include the use of security patches, code review, and intrusion detection systems (Agarwal and Kumar, 2018). In the past two decades, criminals have realized that they could make profits and financial gains from affected computers by collecting information and stealing data; thus, to minimize this kind of theft, online users need to be enlightened and use encryption software to protect their computers and personal information from hackers (Pavlik, 2017).

The requirement to develop techniques and mechanisms to counter the attacks of black hat hackers through prompt detection is another reason why organizations hire experienced hackers. These hackers are granted permission by the organizations to access beyond the set security boundaries to identify possible dangers to the system. After identifying the gaps or shortages in the organization’s system, certified hackers generate strategies that will enhance system security and protect critical data from being compromised (Agarwal and Kumar, 2018). However, Pangaria and Shrivastara(2013) advise that as much as ethical hacking is crucial, organizations should be careful while hiring a hacker to avoid gray hat hacker who does both good and harm. If possible, the organization should hire a hacker who will guide them on the strategies of strengthening the security of the system. Pavlik (2017) states that an employee or the hired hacker, in this case, might disregard the agreement and violate the laws or the set code of ethics by working offensively. Thus, the authors recommend that organizations should be cautious not to cause more damages to their system by hiring someone who is not a certified ethical hacker.

Additionally, organizations hire hackers because they need to protect their credibility and evade costly liabilities. The organization’s software and integrity of data, including other sensitive information in the system or databases, are valuable assets. The issues of cybersecurity have increased due to advanced technology where individuals, companies, and organizations transact their businesses and communication through online platforms (Pangaria and Shrivastara, 2013). Therefore, there is a need for organizations to protect sensitive information in their system to avoid being compromised by the black hat hackers with bad intentions. Furthermore, the share price and market value of the organization depends on its credibility; that is why the system must be well secured. Customers’ sensitive data such as bank particulars, credit card details, and passwords are connected to their profiles on the websites. The clients, as a result, trust the organization that their details are safe, but this still exposes the customers to compromised privacy and the risk of being hacked by black hat hackers. Pavlik (2017) claims that illegitimate hackers can be prosecuted depending on the extent of their crime as there are existing cybercrime-related laws.

Conclusion

From the above discussion, it is evident that even though hackers are well-known to illegally break or access websites such as those of governments, military, online shopping stores and retrieve crucial information, the services of white cap hackers are still essential and cannot be undercut. To protect payment details, intellectual data, and sensitive information in the systems, organizations need to hire ethical hackers. The organizations should also ensure that the operations of the certified ethical hackers are insured to avoid suffering the damages resulting from the hacker’s procedures and actions. Ethical hackers also play a crucial role in upgrading the system of an organization according to the latest technology. Moreover, organizations ought to ensure that their systems are secure to eliminate the chances of them being hacked. Having the mechanism to prevent hacking attempts and the negative impacts is also crucial for organizations. Data security will also support the organizations to maintain their market value and gain the trust of clients or customers. The consequences of cybercrime can include costly losses and damages to organizations’ profitability and reputation. Hence, despite implementing the security measures discussed through hiring ethical hackers, the formulation and adoption of strict laws and penalties for the black hat hackers are also essential.

References

Agarwal, D. & Kumar, S. 2018. Hacking Attacks, Methods, Techniques and Their Protection Measures. IJSART, April, 4(4), pp. 2253-2257. http://ijsart.com/

Pavlik, K. 2017. Cybercrime, Hacking, And Legislation. Journal of Cybersecurity Research, 1(1), pp. 13-15. DOI https://doi.org/10.19030/jcr.v2i1.9966

Pangaria, M. & Shrivastara, V. 2013. Need of Ethical Hacking in Online World. International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), April.2 (4). http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.678.2011&rep=rep1&type=pdf